THE HAPI FORMULA

Although it’s the causeless mercy of the Lord that we experience spiritual feelings, what can we do to attract this mercy? 4 effective rules – HAPI

H – Hard work – responsibility – trying to please Krishna.

Love is a Verb, not just a feeling – we have to DO service.

Devotees who have taken up some responsibility experience this happiness. Even if we are unable to listen, if we are trying to listen while chanting, that is Hard work, namabhas.

A – Appreciation & Culture of Gratitude.

Appreciation is not supposed to be a skill that makes others perform better. In Krishna consciousness, we appreciate others so that we become purified and non-envious.

Life enhancing appreciation involves observation on a devotee, our feelings and expressing what need of ours was fulfilled by his action.

Be specific in your appreciation – From flattery to ‘expectation.’

P – Prayers – Chanting & Hearing

Chant with feeling and listen attentively – no contradiction: Sincerity makes us humble. Spiritual feelings come when we are humble.

Add the element of prayer while hearing Krishna-katha.

I – Introspection & Journal writing

Writing means smaranam, not publishing. Writing activates the right brain of a left brain person, activates the left brain of a right brain person. Writing makes us enter into a region of the heart which penetrates some thick layers of our consciousness.

ART OF STUDYING SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM

By HG Gauranga Prabhu

Srila Prabhupada’s consciousness, “Srimad Bhagavatam is going to the west. Because Bhagavatam can’t travel alone I am going with Bhagavatam as a servant.”

Srimad Bhagavatam is the condensed essence of Vedic knowledge and the key that unlocks the conditioned soul from within the body.

Lord Krishna has so many incarnations – When He appears in the form of a book, He is Srimad Bhagavatam – granthavatar.

I don’t remember what I read, why to study? – Whether we remember or not, we get the nourishment for soul by reading SB, just like our body gets nourished by eating although we don’t remember the menu.

The first step in a developing a relationship is TO SPEND TIME. Similarly to develop relationship with Krishna, we need to spend time with Srimad Bhagavatam. Then Krishna will give us the intelligence to understand Him.

FEATURES OF A SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM VERSE A Sanskrit verse is very concise and brief – needs explanation by a BONAFIDE ACHARYA for PROPER understanding. 5 features of a Sanskrit verse

Padachheda or Sandhi viccheda – Dividing the verse into different words for our proper understanding. Sandhi viccheda by a bona fide acharya makes people not to be misled by wrong division of the words.

Padartokti – Giving meanings to individual words. Sometimes the meaning changes according to the context

When the wood is effected by termites it might look great externally, but as soon as one touches it, it will crumble. Similarly when a devotee is affected by material desires, he may appear to be well-situated externally, but he becomes spiritually weak internally.

3. DESTRUCTION OF FAITH

Srimad Bhagavatam describes how different devotees accept Krishna’s will without complaint. Epitome of that is the faith of Vrajavasis.

FAITH should be that Krishna’s will is infallible and He will give us protection. Miseries will come, a devotee accepts them graciously with honor and gratitude to be the will of Lord.

What keeps us going in midst of many miseries is our connection with great devotees in Srimad Bhagavatam through sound vibration.

4. LOSS OF INSPIRATION & COURAGE

Mind always wants to experience something new. We need this transcendental sound to keep us inspired.

“My attainment of prema depends on how devotees are pleased with me.” Try to be honest, open hearted with other devotees.

5. FALLDOWN – One may fall down because of not having proper philosophical understanding. 6. CHEAP INITIATIONS – One should appreciate the greatness of the parampara before accepting initiation from a guru. 7. DEVIATION in (i) standards (ii) program and (iii) philosophy 8. APATHY – Being conditioned to bad habits, the state of illusion – can’t realize that we are on the wrong track. Regularly deviating – deviation doesn’t appear to be deviation – SP’s purports chastise you if you regularly read.

OBSTACLES IN READING SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM

1. BORING, REPITITIVE

Bhagavatam is based on love, not on the newness of the topics.

Bhagavatam is understood through devotion, not intelligence.

Repetition in purports increases our conviction.

2. SLEEP – We are not eager and convinced that we have to go to Spiritual world. That eagerness and conviction is there on the material world. 3. NO TIME –Time is there, but we have to prioritize and study on a regular basis. 4. COMPLACENCY – Take it very lightly – postpone. 5. DOUBT –Doubts on the way Srila Prabhupada translated Bhagavatam. Sometimes the purports hit on our favorite form of sense gratification 6. INATTENTION – Speculation too much on one point and stopping reading. 7. MULTIPLE BOOKS OF OTHER AUTHORS – Purpose of books is not just to collect but to take shelter and apply. 8. TIME WASTING – Discussing irrelevant things 9. SCHOLARSHIP – Just want to be a scholar and show off – pratishta. Studying Bhagavatam to become a big speaker. 10. SCHOOL PHOBIA – You have to study to be happy. 11. LAZINESS – For material things people are active. For Bhagavatam people become lazy. 12. FORGETFULNESS – Whatever you study you speak, then you can assimilate. Hearing and explaining is more effective than just reading. 13. SKIP & SCAN – Every sloka is critical – don’t skip prayers and philosophy. 14. FALSE FEAR – “I am too unqualified to study Bhagavatam.”

APPRECIATING VEDIC LIFESTYLE

By HG Sanatkumar Prabhu

SESSION 1

Soft Drinks – Hard Facts

• Soft drinks and alcohol have many similarities, both resulting in cirrhosis of liver • They contain excess sugar which result in tooth decay, skin problems, heart diseases, indigestion and overeating. • The artificial sweeteners in it cause migraine, memory loss, blurred vision, depression and increases irritability • The caffeine in soft drinks cause loss in calcium and potassium. • The acids in them make the bones brittle • The other ingrdinets like carbon-di-oxide, distilled water, preservatives and artificial flavoring have deadly effects like • Solution : Rely on fresh fruit juices. Avoid canned juices

APPRECIATING VEDIC LIFESTYLE

By HG Sanatkumar Prabhu

SESSION 2

Microwave Oven – A recipe for Cancer

There is a great use of Microwave ovens today. But many do not know the dangers of its use

Scientists found that food cooked in Microwave ovens can cause initial stages of Cancer. However this finding was suppressed by Microwave manufactures.

APPRECIATING VEDIC LIFESTYLE

By HG Sanatkumar Prabhu

SESSION 3

Towards a Solution – Levels of Lifestyle

• Complicated living in urban areas • Relatively simpler living in urban areas • Semi urban living in country side • Simple living in the country side but with compromises • Completely simple living in the country side • Modern lifestyle affects us in various ways, so a change is necessary. To what extent we make a change is based on our individual capacity, likes and needs. Types of aspirations • Basic Needs → Amenities → Security → Luxuries → Prestige → Greed • If we limit our aspirations to needs, amenities and security than we can plan our life such that there is more time for Bhakti. • Vedic lifestyle was not primitive was very much progressive. So we must revive our faith in the traditional technologies. • Examples: Water conservation measures implemented in Rajasthan, Amish communities, Working village international, KrishnaValley, Hungary. For more information, visit www.ecovillage.org.in.

INATTENTIVE CHANTING

By HG Sudama Prabhu

• The first connection of the Jiva with Krishna is the Holy name • Once our relationship is established with Krishna through attentive hearing & chanting, automatically relationship with all jivas is in order. • We are drowning in the ocean of material existence. If we give up attentive chanting, we have NO HOPE!!! • If we don’t chant & hear attentively, automatically we will be committing all other 9 offences. • You may escape from all other offences, but ultimately you have to face inattentiveness, the mother of all offences – Bhaktivinod Thakur.

5 meanings of Inattentive Chanting

Negligence – Ex: Bharat maharaj

Carelessness – Ex: Razor’s edge

Chanting unconsciously – Consciousness is the main ingredient in Harinaam Yagna, without which yagna is incomplete.

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